The President's Champion
by WhitevelvetAngel
Summary: What will Relena do when she is attacked and her Presidency is compromised?
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1

**Past Introductions**

Relena walked into the Presidential Suite and dropped her suitcase onto the chair next to the door. She was angry to say the least, and the frustration of having to hold it in gave her a splitting headache. She walked up to the desk that was so envied and passed her hand along the surface of the mahogany table as if she were caressing a child. She had sacrificed so much for this position, though it was not her choice to be the President of the World.

She turned quickly as she heard footsteps outside the door. She straightened her body to give it the regal look that had given her the name: The Princess. She wiped away the tears that she had not known that she shed a moment before and put on her most dignified face. Lady Une, walked into the room with the expression of a woman haunted. " How could this have happened!" she whispered angrily. Relena shook her head and smiled. "This is not your fault Lady Une. I have been preparing for this since the beginning of my reign as the President. It is quite amazing that I have gotten through eight years without this happening." she said with cheeriness she did not feel.

In truth her heart was breaking. It took all her will to keep the tears that were brimming from falling over their lids. "But Madame President, you have been protected by the best body guards that exist on earth! How could someone have penetrated the building without my knowing!" she said angrily, slamming her fist into the wall. Relena took a step forward and put her hand on Lady Une's shoulder. "It was expected that someone would threaten my existence. I have been threatened before Une, I think my going into hiding for a while is the best course of action until the threat can be exposed." she said logically. Lady Une nodded.

"Then let me provide the best protection in the world Madame President." she said quickly. She took her cell phone out and barked into it, then turned to Relena once again. "We have had some of the best agents in the world on missions of great importance to the safety of the world. I realize now, that you should have been assigned one of these agents. Without you Madame President, the peace of this world is endangered. I do apologize." she said sincerely. Relena waved her hand in dismissal. "You have done an amazing job so far Lady Une. You are not to blame." she said calmly.

As Lady Une nodded and left, Relena was able to let down the temporary walls of strength that hid her desolation. She slid to the ground and let the tears she had been holding back flow down her face and drip onto the glossy wooden floor.

It had been two days before when someone had gotten into her bedroom and held her down on the bed while he assaulted her. She remembered the feeling of helplessness and pain as the person ripped the clothes from her body and forced himself into her. She had screamed, but the scream was muffled by the person's hand, which was clasped over her mouth in a death grip.

She had fought all she could, but all she did was make it more painful to endure. She remembered the person forcing a drug down her throat that caused her to pass out long enough for the person to slip away from her room and escape. The person had left a note on her dresser and when her maid found her in the morning she was taken directly to the hospital where dozens of tests were taken on her, leaving her exhausted and terrified.

The only thing that equaled her terror was the shame she felt every time she thought about what the person had done to her. Not only had her body been assaulted, but her sense of security had been taken away from her as well. She found herself looking around every corner and having her heart leap into her throat every time she heard footsteps. She had even begun to sleep with a light on as if she were a child. The thought brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes.

Her Head of Security, Lady Une, was both shocked and disgusted by what had occurred, but Relena knew she was worried most of all about her position. She had not done her job. She had let someone into the President's Castle and the president had therefore been sexually assaulted. She knew her ass was on the line and it gave her a new form of motivation to find the person who had done this.

Forcing herself to her feet, Relena walked briskly to the bathroom where she then vomited into the sink. Her body began to shake and knees became weak. She washed her face with cold water and rinsed out her mouth with mouthwash. She walked back into the Suite where Lady Une was standing with three familiar people. The first she recognized as Duo. His long, silky brown braid was something she could not forget. The recently recruited soldier Hilde, who she recognized but did not know and...Heero.

He was standing straight with his head forward and his beautifully chiseled face was impassive as usual. His lean, muscular body was as always, perfectly proportioned and although he had matured and also grown taller, as Duo had, he still had the boyish features of his youth. Relena froze and stared at him for a second, then continued to walk into the room. "Madame President, these are only three of our six agents on the team assigned to you. As you must have realized by now, we have assigned to you all of the original Gundam pilots as well as Agent Hilde Maxwell. She is one of the best, and since all the Gundam pilots are men, it seemed necessary for me to have a woman along as well. You are going to be gone for months depending on how long it takes us to find this person or persons. You will need the company." she said, letting her voice soften at the end. Relena merely nodded shortly. She then nodded to the people in which she must now entrust her life and walked back to her room where she began preparing her things for their departure.

Meanwhile, Heero could barely keep his composure. He had never seen Relena look so broken down. He knew she was trying her best to hide it, but he had been her bodyguard once, he knew her better than he would have liked to admit. He knew that she always had a spark of life and even a trace defiance behind those beautiful golden eyes. Now, there was nothing. Not even a glint of life was left. She had been broken.

Anger mixed with terror flood his being so strong that it was hard for him not to hit something. What could this person have done that would break a spirit like Relena's? The team was not informed of what the intruder had done, only that someone had gotten in and now the President was forced to flee or die. It drove him crazy, but silently so. He would not show signs of this weakness to anyone; he had barely accepted it himself. Frowning slightly, he watched the President walk back into the room and as two servants took her things and carried them out, he followed.

Relena had thought she saw concern in the eyes of Heero Yuy, someone she had long since was incapable of emotion. But a mere moment after she thought she saw it, it was gone. She shook her head slightly to stop herself from breaking down and followed the group out into the Land Rover that awaited them. They climbed into the truck and she observed as Heero climbed into the drivers seat, and with the same ease that he did everything, he drove off.

"This should not have happened!" Duo said from the passengers seat. "It doesn't matter now." Heero said resignedly. His face was devoid of expression. "We know that it is imperative that we get the President to the third moon." he said. Relena, who had been staring blankly out of the window next to her, looked around and stared. "The third moon! I do not think this is necessary. Surely there is a colony willing to harbor me!" she said indignantly. Hilde shook her head. "You underestimate the danger you are in. There could very well be spies on every colony waiting for you to arrive. Then they could make their move" she said simply.

Relena shuddered violently at these words. Someone had already made their move! Hilde frowned and touched the President's shoulder. "Are you alright Madame President?" she asked at once. Relena painted a smile on her face. "I am fine. I just do not think that there is any reason to go to such lengths. The third moon is a desolate and dangerous place. How could anyone who wishes for my safety want to send me there?" she asked still a bit shaken.

Heero, who had seen her reaction to what Hilde had said, answered swiftly. "I think we could handle the third moon Madame President. We have endured far worse than an untamed planet. That is why Lady Une has sent us all. With our combined effort, your safety is garanteed." he said in his usual monotone. Relena closed her eyes. Her safety had been guaranteed before. Yet still, someone had gotten to her.

Hilde noticed the strained look Relena had and narrowed her eyes at her. She knew there was something more that happened other than the castle merely being penetrated. From the respect Heero and Duo had for her, Hilde knew that the president was not weak. After all, Heero despised weakness. She watched carefully as Relena shifted uncomfortably in her seat and let out a sigh so soft that had she not been paying particular attention, she would not have heard it. Then she heard Duo's laugh and a smile crept across her lips.


	2. The Journey

Chapter 2

**The Journey**

She and Duo had fought together for years after the split of the Gundam pilots. It did not take long for their mutual respect to grow to love. They had married three years before and she was now Agent Maxwell, a name she took pride in. She knew that as long as they were in the fight for the peace of the world, they could not have a family. She sighed and turned to look at her husband, who was still grinning. He winked at her and made her blush. She was amazed that after three years of marriage he could still make her blush. Smiling slightly she returned her attention to Relena who was now looking at her with what looked like a congratulatory smile.

Relena had seen the serene smile on Hilde's face when she heard his laugh. It was then that she remembered that Maxwell was the name of one of the Gundam pilots. She put two and two together and realized that Hilde must have been either a relative by blood or by marriage. Then as she saw the other woman blush, she realized instantly that it was marriage that had given her his last name.

She was happy for her. At least someone in the war could still manage happiness. A spark of jealousy rose in her chest and she fought it back quickly. There was no time for this. She was just about to ask Hilde how long she had been married when the truck came to a halt. Heero got out of the car and walked up to a man of obvious Asian decent. His black hair and dark expression gave him a look similar to that of Heero's. These were dangerous men, she realized. Somehow that comforted her.

The two men then re-entered the car. The new Agent entered the car and sat next to her in one fluid motion. "Madame President, I am Wufei Chang, one of the six assigned to this mission.", he said in a familiar monotone. Relena extended her hand, which he took reluctantly and shook it. She smiled. She wanted to know which category to put him in. Either he was of Duo's caliber, a soldier and a gentleman, or she was of Heero's caliber, just a soldier. She now knew. Had he been the former, he would have kissed her hand instead of shaking it. Though she trusted Duo's skill as a Gundam pilot, she was more comforted knowing that there were other soldiers as emotionless as Heero.

The thought scared her that she should be thinking this way. Anger at how the scoundrel her had attacked her had also changed her resurfaced. She had thought that she could be the same in time, but she was wrong. Already she was thirsting for his blood. She once again turned toward the window and tried silently to fight the chill that crept up her spine. She would endure this. For her people...

They had gotten to a hidden port behind a waterfall where she realized they must have hidden the Gundams. Sure enough, when they entered, there were three Gundams awaiting them. Heero walked swiftly over to a control room where he sat and began to type furiously. The stairways that had connected to the side of the massive Gundams came down once again. "You will need the stairway Madame President." she heard a cold voice say behind her. She turned to see Wufei behind her. She nodded and walked over to the stairway where she got on. It carried her to the Gundam she recognized as Heero's. She would be riding in the Gundam with him? She looked down at Heero who was surveying with two beautiful but cold midnight blue eyes.

As she felt the stairway stop, she saw in amazement as the Gundam pilots climbed up into their Gundams with amazing agility that did not seem human. Heero typed once more and took what she recognized as her baggage and walked up to the Gundam, which he climbed with the same agility, even with her luggage. The cockpit opened and he walked in. Relena stood glued to the floor for a moment, then followed him into the cockpit where the door closed quickly behind her, making her jump involuntarily.

Heero promptly ignored her as he moved past her and sat into the seat, instantly awakening the Gundam. "Sit where you can." he said. His voice had startled her. She sat quickly behind him and was dismayed to find that she was so close to him that she could smell his musky masculine scent. It took all of her will to keep her from burying her face in his neck and inhaling as much of his scent as possible. The thought shook her. Was she that weak when it came to Heero? Every part of her was aware of him sitting in front of her. She straightened suddenly and looked away.

Heero had felt her breath on his neck and had to close his eyes to keep from reacting. She was too close! He was grateful when she moved away. He started moving away from the stairway. In one jerking movement he was off the ground and moving rapidly through the port and out through the waterfall. He led them through the sky and out into space. He could barely believe that there was now no war. A part of him missed battling. He had a meaning, even a purpose to his life then. Now all he had was the miniscule jobs that Lady Une sent him on that never needed much effort from him. Now he had a real mission and he felt alive. Yet, at the same time he felt a trace of panic in his chest. Could he keep focused? Would his feelings for Relena interfere with his mission?

They had traveled in silence for hours until finally the Gundam hit solid ground. Heero looked around to find a sleeping Relena resting on his shoulder. He moved gently and watched as Relena opened her eyes slowly. She looked up at him with those innocent eyes and straightened. "Have we reached our destination?" she asked softly. There was still a trace of sleep in her eyes. "Yes" he said quietly. He stood and took her baggage then walked out as the cockpit opened.

Relena followed and felt oddly refreshed. It was the first time in two days that she was able to sleep without the help of prescription drugs. She knew that it was because of the fact that she had felt safe that allowed her to finally doze off. She had felt safe with Heero. Reprimanding herself for such thoughts, Relena looked around and saw that they had landed in what looked like a jungle. She walked over to the tents that had been put up and narrowed her eyes. This was where they would be hiding out?

Hilde spotted her and smiled. She walked up behind her and touched the other woman's shoulder. Relena stiffened and Hilde removed her hand quickly. "I'm sorry Madame President! I had forgotten..." she trailed off uneasily. She didn't know if she would offend Relena or not. To her relief, Relena gave her a warm smile. "Please, don't worry about it. And do call me Relena." she said. Hilde nodded. "There are four tents. We each have to share, but you have a tent of your own." she said. Relena tensed once more. It was dark out and she did not want to sleep alone. Hilde sensed her trepidation and touched the woman's shoulder once again. "I think I can arrange for us to share a tent. I know Heero would appreciate a tent of his own, though he and Wufei would certainly be able to share a tent with no problems." she said grinning.

Relena smiled and let Hilde lead her into a tent where all of her things were already set down. She sat gently on the makeshift bed and took her brush out of her suitcase. Brushing her hair had always seemed to calm her. When she heard the entry of her tent move she stiffened and turned quickly to find Heero looking down at her. "Are you alright Madame President?" he asked suspiciously. His voice was still cold and his face without expression. Relena nodded. "Call me by my first name Heero. We cannot afford to be formal now. You all _do_ hold my life in your hands." she said wearily. Heero made no comment. "We will be leaving as soon as the other two assigned to this mission arrive. Then we head to the desert. There we will meet Wolfgang, our guide to the center of the moon." he stated.

All Relena could do was nod. As Heero turned to leave she found her voice once again. "How long will this take?" she asked. "We don't know." he answered without looking back. Then he left the tent. A sigh escaped her lips. It would be torture being around him for so long without being able to reach him. The thought alone drained what little strength was left in her. She quietly stripped her clothes from her and changed into a pair of shorts and a thin top. She was exhausted from her journey and the emotional stress of the past two days. Sleep came instantly.

The next morning Relena walked out of the tent with, for the first time in months, a genuine smile. She changed into a pair of pants and a shirt, and then made her way over to where she saw Hilde brushing her teeth. "I didn't know we would have the luxury." Relena said smiling. Hilde turned and smiled back, plainly surprised. "We will for a while. Who knows what may happen on the way to the center of the moon." she said shrugging. Relena looked down. She didn't think about it that way. In fact, she didn't want to think about it at all.

After she brushed her teeth she walked around the campsite and took in the beauty of the exotic plant life that surrounded them. The trees were the tallest she had ever seen and the flowers were an assortment of bright colors. 'Maybe it would not be that bad staying here' she thought. Sighing, she sat on a large stone and closed her eyes. The silence enveloped her and a peace she had not felt in so long was within her grasp.

_She was walking along the jungle after a long nap on the smooth stone she had found and she could not believe how beautiful this place was. How was it that no one wanted to be here? It was rumored to be a demon planet where there was only death. But how could a place as beautiful as this have such a terrible reputation? She paused as she heard a rustling of the bushes. She turned around in one jerking motion and came face to face with a tall figure. She could not see his face, but she recognized those arms. They were the arms that had held her down with such force that she could not move as her body was being ravaged. _

_Gasping, she turned and as she made to run two powerful hands gripped her arms firmly and began to shake her. She tried with all her might to move so she could pull away, but the shock and fear had paralyzed her. "NO...Noooooo. Please don't. It hurt so much...please..." she sobbed. She tried once more to break away from the arms that held her firmly only to be shaken again._

Heero shook Relena once more before her eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him. Her body was trembling violently and tears had stained her cheeks. Suddenly she flung herself into his arms and began to sob bitterly. He didn't know what to do. Awkwardly, he patted her back as she slowly began to calm down. He remembered what she was murmuring during her thrashing. "_Please don't. It hurt so much...please..." _What had hurt so much? What had this person done to her? He slowly pulled her away from him and glanced over her features. She had no visible signs of an attack. There were no cuts or bruises on her that he could see.

Relena looked at him and he felt anger rise in his chest. She looked so vulnerable. It was unnerving that the woman he had watched for so long could be shaken like this. He never knew her to let down all of her defenses the way she had now. She looked down and sat motionless before him. She had calmed down considerably, but he could see that she had not quite recovered from her dream. He leaned toward her. "What happened to you Relena?" he asked softly. Relena looked up at him.

Never before had she heard him speak in soft tones. Suddenly she wanted to confess everything to him. Yet, shame had taken control of her mouth. "I...I...nothing." she managed to say. She had begun to tremble once again. The fact that she had to hold it in caused her pain. She wanted nothing more than to tell him what happened that night, but how would he react to that? Would he turn away from her in disgust? She had been defiled and she felt like taking an endless bathe that would magically wash away the shame and loneliness that had her wallowing in self-pity.

Unfortunately, Heero would not back off. "Don't lie to me Relena." Heero said in a dangerous voice. "Why would you care anyway? It isn't your job to know what happened! Your job is to protect me. Isn't that all you care about Heero, your job?" Relena said breathlessly. Heero grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

"Tell me"

**Please Review**

**To Be Continued**....


	3. New Beginnings

Chapter 3

**New Beginnings**

"No Heero."

"Tell me."

"I can't"

"Relena."

"Please..."

"Tell me."

"Heero please..."

"Tell me."

"He raped me!" she shouted. Heero froze. Relena pulled away from him and looked down. "He raped me." she whispered. There was silence. After several moments Relena felt a hand caress her cheek. Though his hands were calloused from the work he did, Relena swore she had never felt anything softer. "How could I have let this happen." she heard him say. She looked up at him frowning. "This is not your fault Heero." she said shaking her head. Heero was not looking at her. "I should have been protecting you." he said turning to her, "I should have stayed with you."

Relena was taken aback. Of all the responses she imagined him making, this was not one of them. He stood suddenly and reached his hand out to her. "We have to go back to the camp," he said. Relena took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. As she made to walk off, Heero grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. She found herself against his chest and as she looked up she was mesmerized by the intense look in his eyes. "I will make sure that nothing happens to you." he said firmly. Relena felt herself nod. She was completely incapable of speech. She felt as if her body was melting. Then Heero released his grip on her and walked away.

Feeling suddenly empty, Relena walked back to the camp. She noticed that Duo was packing their things away. She walked up to him quickly. "Where are we going?" she asked. He didn't even pause. "Quatre is here. He says that Trowa is with Wolfgang as we speak. We haven't got that much time to get there." he said pulling the tents into a pile. Relena frowned and followed him as he went to collect the other supplies. "Why do we have to hurry? No one knows we're here right?" she asked. "Wrong." Duo said simply. "The tribes have known since the moment we arrived. This is their land and if we don't leave soon..." he looked at her for the first time. "Not only will we fail our mission, but we would lose our lives as well." he said gravely.

They had piled her things in the Gundam and she was riding peacefully behind Heero once again. She was happy that she had told him. She felt as though a huge burden had been taken off of her shoulders. When they came to a stop, Heero walked out of the Gundam and peered down. As Relena made to move he looked back at her and shook his head. Just as she was going to ask him what was happening he jumped.

Heero was angry beyond words. There was a problem and it was going to cost them time. He walked over to where Duo stood frustrated. "What is the problem?" he asked coldly. "Oh, well, according to Trowa, Wolfgang had been assassinated. We have to find the Shaylen Mountain to meet Trowa. He has Nurabi, Wolfgang's supposed lover. He says she can show us where the center of the moon is." he said. Heero narrowed his eyes at him. "How do we know we can trust her?" he asked. Duo grinned. "A steady optimist as always, aren't you Yuy." he said shaking his head. "Quatre says the woman has a child for Wolfgang. Apparently, the kid is at the center of the moon along with her sister. The others in the tribe were angry that Wolfgang had a child that wasn't of his wife. Looks like she hid the tyke so that they wouldn't kill it." he said wearily. "That means we have to change direction." he added.

Heero nodded. "You lead." he said simply. When the other man nodded he walked away. He climbed back into his Gundam and found Relena gazing fixedly at a picture of a woman above her. She looked shocked and appalled. "Who is she?" she asked ridding her face of all expression. Heero walked over and took the picture. A smiling woman with red hair and large blue eyes was staring up at him. Her smile was infectious. "She was someone close to me." he said simply. Relena was floored. "Was?" she asked hopefully. Heero sent her an angry look that changed into a slightly sorrowful one. "She died." he said without emotion. He put the picture back and started up the Gundam. He hadn't expected this.

He could be angry with her for hoping the woman was from his past alone, or he could accept why and be understanding. He decided on neither. He could not blame the sudden feeling of anger in his chest at Relena. It was not her that made all the bones in his body quiver with rage. It was the one and only Treize Kushrenada. He had not died as most thought. He was on a rampage trying to destroy all the people who had gotten in his way. Only, instead of getting Heero, he had gotten one of the only people he could honestly say he cared about. After this mission, he would finally get his revenge.

Relena sensed anger from him and from the moment he started up the Gundam, there was tension in the air. Finally she could not take it anymore. "I'm sorry Heero. It was none of my business." she said carefully. Heero said nothing. "I should not have pried. Please don't be upset with me." she said pleadingly. Still nothing. "Don't treat me like this Heero." she whispered. Heero could hear the distress in her voice. "We'll talk later Relena.' he said quietly. Relieved, she sat back and waited patiently for them to finally reach their destination.

For hours Relena sat waiting patiently for them to reach their destination, but Heero's words kept playing over in her head. '_We'll talk later Relena.'_ His voice had sounded tired. There were many reasons for it that she considered in her head. The only one that kept repeated itself, was the possibility that she had begun to get wearisome to him. A moment later she was angry with herself. What made him so important? Why should she let him get to her like this? She was the President of the World for Christ's sake, shouldn't she be stronger than this! Still, no amount of argument could shake the feeling in her gut. The feeling that made her cringe every time she thought of it was the fact that she had allowed herself to become so vulnerable. But what was she going to do about it?

She was still arguing in her mind when the Gundam abruptly landed. The impact hurtled her backwards causing her to slam into the wall. All she could feel was a dull pain in her head before she passed out. When she came to, she was surprised to find that not only was she on the ground and in a cave, but she was in Heero's arms, on the ground in a cave. She was still so groggy that he had to tap her cheek lightly to get her to focus her eyes on him. She winced as the pain in her head slowly began to build and she began to tremble with cold.

She could hear Hilde's voice in the background and she realized that although she was able to focus, she could not tune in on what was going on. She saw them and could feel the hard ground beneath her and Heero's arms around her shoulders, but she could not hear them properly or put together the images before her in an effective manner. Suddenly she felt her head spinning and she could no longer even see them clearly. The whole world became hazy before she blacked out once more.

**To Be Continued...**


	4. War in the Distance

I thank everyone for their reviews. In time you will know who the girl in the picture is. I promise I won't disappoint you. I appreciate everything you have to say and I will try my best to keep the stories coming.

Chapter 4

War in the Distance

The tap on her shoulder coupled with the soothing voice in the background helped to awaken Relena from her reluctant slumber. She opened her eyes and stared up at Hilde. She was startled to find herself thoroughly disappointed.

"Hilde, what on earth is happening?"

"Well Relena, if we were on earth I might have been able to tell you. But for now we are not. I can only assume that the knock on the head you received in Heero's Gundam jolted your senses. I am very relieved to see you well. You scared us a bit." she said smiling. Relena smiled appreciatively at the girl and got up.

She felt good as new. As she scanned the expansive desert around her, her back went rigid. There was not a plant in sight. Her dismay must have been evident on her face because she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry to have to tell you that plans have changed. We were attacked by the tribe of Sharicade. They have officially waged war on as, seeing us as intruders." she said simply.

"What can we do to convince them that we are no threat."

"Possibly nothing. At this moment Quatre is trying his best to stifle the increasing panic that has erupted in the heart of the tribe. They are not used to visitors and I am not sure they will be pacified by meaningless words."

At the thought of Quatre doing the job she was born to do, the hairs on her back rose. As President, it was her job to do the arbitration. Feeling annoyed, she gathered herself up to her full height and examined Hilde's face thoroughly. The woman was unsure of the outcome of this 'negotiation'. Calmly she turnedaddressed her.

"I must see the leader of this tribe."

"What?"

"The leader of this tribe. I must see him at once."

It was said simply enough, yet still Hilde recognized it as a command. Nodding her head, she walked off without another word. Gazing around her apprehensively, Relena walked to the nearest Gundam. Inside sat Trowa leaning back in his seat and resting his head against his arms that were crossed casually behind his head. His eyes were closed and she wondered if she would be bothering him. Before she could open her mouth she heard his voice. "Is there something you need Madame President?" he asked without even opening his eyes. He was as still as death. The comparison was no comfort.

"I want to know where everyone is." she asked simply.

"They have gone to see if there is anything in this Godforsaken land to keep us alive. Our water will not last for very long. If there is nothing out there, then it is likely we will die."

Relena stared at him for a moment. "Your optimism is contagious." she replied sarcastically. She saw the skin tug at the corner of his lips. "In my line of work, there is little to no room for optimism. There are simply the facts and my intuition. At times a situation can be manipulated to my benefit, but mostly nothing can be helped." he said finally sitting up, "This is one of the latter moments." His eyes bore into hers making her uncomfortable, but she did not flinch. She had grown accustomed to those kinds of stares and although she was still not immune, she had learned to hide her reactions well.

He got up and walked over to her. He was considerably taller than she was and she had the distinct feeling that he was trying to intimidate her. She felt annoyance at his unsubtle way of sizing her up. "I need to speak with the leader of this tribe that seems to be annoyed with us. If I can, I will make him see that we are no threat." she said simply. Trowa's eyes narrowed considerably. "It is being taken care of." he said firmly.

Relena felt the vein in her head begin to throb. She realized show would get nothing but resistance from this one. "I am the one that has caused this commotion in their land. It is nothing short of respectful to address them myself. Would you rather they want to kill us?" she asked stonily. Trowa scoffed and turned from her to return to his seat. "You assume you can handle this when you cannot even handle a little bump on the head?" he said patronizinglyher. When he saw her eyes flash with anger and her face flush with embarrassment he let a slow smile creep across his lips. "Quatre is quite capable of taking care of the situation." he added dismissively.

Slowly anger turned to unbridled rage and then it disappeared. Many a time she had felt this when dealing with a particularly arrogant ambassador. She could handle a soldier. "Maybe you did not hear me. I want to speak with the leader of this tribe. You may not have respect for me, but your job is to make sure I stay alive. To make it easier on yourself, you might as well let me reason with them myself." she said coldly. Now she could see irritation in his cold eyes as he stared at her.

"Maybe _you_ have not hear _me_..."

"I have and now you will listen. I may not be your commander, but I am still your boss. I would prefer if we were on amiable terms but it seems that you do not. So I will say this once. Contact Quatre, and let him know I am taking his place."

Trowa was both impressed and annoyed. He had misjudged her reluctance to be offensive for being weak. To him her efforts were in vain, but at least he could see that she was not weak, just nice. The thought disgusted him.He picked up the intercom and spoke in it quickly, never taking his eyes off of her. She never lowered her gaze nor did the intense look in her eye waver. "Your request has been sent." he said turning his back on her. She turned and left without another word. As she made her way back to the campsite she began feeling dizzy. Her frustration was getting to her. Shaking it off she walked purposefully back to her tent where she decided she needed to get some rest.

Heero was thinking about how he could get Duo to shut up without killing him. He hated to admit that he had come to find his presence agreeable, but there were times such as these when he could notwait forhim to close his mouth. He looked over to him and sent him a withering look. This only made the man's smile broaden. "You know Heero, all you need is a good female. She pull out that stick you've got wedged up your ass." he said cheerily. Heero grunted. It was comments like these that made him want to strangle thehim the most. "I assume Hilde has you satisfied. Until her, you barely had a taste of the opposite sex, let alone know what they could do for you." he said absently. The other man blushed crimson and began muttering something he chose to ignore.

Duo was still fuming and opened his mouth to make an angry reply when Heero swiped at the bushes in front of them. Then his jaw went slack. In front of the was the most beautiful waterfall they had ever seen. It had taken them a while to find a place with sufficient plantlife and trees to be able to hide their Gundams. Now they realized they had found one of the most prized waterfalls of the moon. The water was said to have a healing power both physically and mentally. Heero personally thought it just made for a nice place to get a bath. The water was crystal clear and surrounded by many edible berry bushes and fruit trees. _Relena would like this_.

Startled by where his thoughts had wandered, he abruptly turned to Duo. "We have found our new campsite." he said. Duo merely nodded. As they turned, Heero stiffined and went still. Someone was here. He glanced at Duo who was also listening and then quickly dodged to the left where an arrow had barely missed his head. They sprang into the thick of the forest and headed for their Gundams. Suddenly they were surrounded by twenty tribesmen.

Heero surveyed them cooly as he sized them up. They were tall and very muscular. Their brown skin was smooth and barely covered by loincloths made of deerskin. They had their tribal colors of red and yellow painted across their chests, legs and faces and their long straight hair fell around their shoulders in patches of black. Henoticed that although they seemed to be extremely strong, they were not as fast. He knew a fight was coming.

Suddenly one of them charged at him and he moved swiftly to the side connecting the man with a roudhouse kick that sent him sprawling into the tree behind him. Another was more careful this time, inching towards him and flipping to the back of him before sending a kick aimed to his spine. He had not wagered them to be as lithe with all that muscle. A mistake. Though he moved in time to avoid getting his back broken, he still got a crushing blow to the ribs. In his head he could hear them crack. He dodged another similar kick with as much skill, though painfully, and squatted quickly to gain momentum as he delivered a powerful uppercut that broke his opponents jaw and knocked him unconscious.

He spun and kicked the man coming towards him in the chest and pushed himself back with all his strength knocking down the man who was coming behind him. He managed to incapacitate eight more before he came to a complete stop. He spotted a man aiming his arrow towards Duo and quickly grabbed a stone, hurling it toward the man with expert aim, hitting him between the eyes. Duo looked toward him and grinned before spinning and landing a fatal blow to the side of the head of the man in front of him. He crumpled into a heap before him.

"They know we're here. More will be back." Duo said seriously. Heero led out a ragged breath. The pain in his ribs was beginning to grow. "If Quatre can do his job, we won't have to worry." he said. Duo eyed him carefully before approaching him. "What did they break?" he asked. Heero sent him a look of contempt. Ignoring the question he made his was toward his Gundam.

By the time they got back Quatre had returned. He was speaking animatedly with Relena. Trowa, it seemed, did not share their enthusiasm. As he walked up to them he could feel Trowa's eyes on him. He gave him a look that would wither a plant in its wake. To their trained eyes, his injury was a plain as day. To Relena, who had turned to him, it was indiscernible. She gave him a brilliant smile that eased the pain a little and looked toward Quatre proudly.

"We have managed to come to an agreement with the leader of the Sharicade. He will leave us aloneon one condition."

"What?"

"He wants to meet with me."

"No."

"What?."

"No."

Without another word he walked off. Relena's face fell and she turned to Quatre who shrugged. She turned to Trowa who was shaking his head. "You have not been listening to me. This very well may be a plan to kill you before you can cause a greater threat to them. This is why Quatre went instead of you." he said patronizingly. Relena bristled at his tone. "Well,it'sthe best idea we've got! If they wage war, they very well may kill me anyway!" she said hotly. Trowa sighed. "We have fought our entire lives. Do you think a little tribe in the jungle would scare us. If it becomes necessary, we would destroy what was left of their tribe, but killing is never a first option. Until we have reason, it is best to lay low." he said turning.

Relena walked around him and stood firmly in front of his face. "Do you think hiding will help? Do you doubt that they know their own land enough to find us? If not, those big machines you call Gundams will make it a hell of a lot easier! Don't speak to me as if I were a child who doesn't understand war. I have spent the last few years of my life trying to prevent one!" she said seething. Trowa didn't blink. "You may have sat in your Presidential Suite making calls nad attending brunches that would prevent war, but you have never fought in one. As far as I am concerned, your reasoning is irrelevant." he stepped around her and continued walking to his Gundam.

Quatre gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze then strode off after Trowa. Relena, still fuming, walked over to the tent she saw Heero enter. She stepped in angrily and froze. Her anger instantly turned to concern as she saw him examine the bruizes on his ribs. He had sensed her and stiffened, but went on without acknowledging her. She ignored his dismissal of her presence and went over to him. "What happened Heero?" she asked sitting next to him on his sleeping bag. He didn't look at her. "It's nothing I haven't delt with before." he said brusquely. Relena recoiled somewhat at his tone.

"When will you learn to stop pushing me away?" she asked in a weary voice. She looked at his bruise and knew there were ribs broken beneath the skin. "I cannot fathom why you would continue to shun me when all I want is to help." she said softly.

Heero sighed. "I can take care of it Relena." he said quietly. When he saw the sad expression on her face he frowned. "I'm sorry." he said.

Relena smiled at him. "Listen to me Heero, listen to all I have to say before you say anything. Promise?" When he nodded reluctantly she went on. "I can help. I have tried to find a way to live with the fact that you all have to look after me without me being anything but a burden, but I can't." She watched as he struggled not to interrupt. "I cannot sit by while you all fight to keep me from being killed. This is my chance to do what I was born to do to keep us from losing any lives. Look whatthey did to youHeero. Do you think I can just sit by and watch this happen to you? Any of you? It hurts me to see you in pain and I can do something to prevent that. Let me go." she said.

Heero took in her speech, considered it for a moment, then gave his answer. "No."

"Heero!"

"No."

"Then what do you propose we do? Keep hiding and then let them eventually pick us all off. Or better yet, corner us while we're all together where they can destroy us as a group?"

"I cannot allow you to go there alone and they will not allow all of us to come with you."

"Then I'll ask them to bring only one with me."

Heero stared at her for a moment. She was deathly serious. He started to shake his head when he realized the cleverness of her plan. She didn't know it, but she had given him a means to get into their village and see what they were up against firsthand. While he was there he could easily take out the leader if necessary and be out of there before anyone realized what happened. And if her plan succeeded, no blood needed to be shed. He smiled at her unconscious brilliance.

Relena saw him think over her plan and was stunned by the smile that appeared on his lips. It was more of a half smile as it only touched his lips slightly, and mostly on one side. Nevertheless, it was breathtaking. She had never seen someone exude that amount of sex appeal in one easy motion. She feltthe familiar stirring in her loins that she always felt when he was close to her and she had to look away to avoid responding. He stood and she could feel the power of his presence in front of her. He reached down and took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting it up so her eyes would meet his. "We have a deal. I will go with you." he said in a low voice. Her heart skipped a beat as he gave her his dazzling half smile and he walked out.


	5. The Valley

Thank you all for your reviews, I treasure them all. If you have any requests on things you would like in the story, feel free to tell me.

It had been two days since they set off to the village of the Sharicade. They arrived at the base of a mountain where Relena felt herself glowing with awe. The mountain was large and she could see a cave very clearly towards the top. Before they could get any closer, they found themselves surrounded by the same tribesmen that had attacked Heero and Duo before. Heero narrowed his eyes but let them lead the way. The path up the mountain was long and tedious and though the tribesmen never slowed their pace andhe could see that Relena was tired and very close to collapsing. He shot her a look of concern and saw the tears that welled up in her eyes. She was fighting to keep them from falling over the lids, but he knew she would lose the fight if he didn't do something.

Without hesitation he lifted her off of the ground and carried her the rest of the way.

Relena was on the verge of breaking down when Heero scooped her up into his arms. She was relieved beyond words. Her legs ached miserably and for some reason, though the tribesmen left Heero alone, they had kept a spear behind her to make her keep her pace. Many a time during the endlessmarch up the mountain she had slowed enough to feel the tip of the spear pierce her skin. It was painful enough to bring tears to her eyes. Over and over the spear pierced the same spot. The tribesmen had tactfully blocked enough of Heero's view of her that he could see her, but not the spear digging into the small of her back.

In his arms were firm around her body calming her considerably. Yet, she could feel herself getting tired. She took a deep breath and buried her face in his chest. His scent along with the strength of his arms comforted her even though the pain in her back was beginning to throb uncomfortably. She felt a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder and for a moment was stunned. Then a warmth flooded her body and she blinked back her tears. She was going to be fine.

When they reached the cave the tribesmen led them through and on the other side was a breathtaking valley. Not even on earth had such beauty existed. There were four waterfalls and a large village where the people moved around with a peaceful air. They walked to a large hut in the center of the village where an old man in an assortment of animal furs and a staff with a large diamond sat in a jewel encrusted seat. The many jewels shocked her. For some reason she had not expected such primitive people to treasure such things. She was about to tell Heero to put her down when she heard his voice.

"The President needs to rest before she meets with you. It would not make sense to hold counsel with someone who is incoherent."

"Point taken. Zabu, show them to their hut."

The tribesman named Zabu nodded and led them to a hut nearby. When he was sure they knew which one was theirs he promptly left. Heero carried her in and rested her down on a surprisingly thick and soft bundle of skins and furs. When her back touched the skins she grimaced and he lifted her slightly then gently flipped her onto her stomach. She started to fight him off when he gave her a smoldering look. He lifted her shirt to find a deep gash in the small of her back. He cursed under his breath and left. Relena could feel his absence. She sat up and carefully breathed in. The pain was getting worse and she felt herself trembling.

Heero was back with the tribesman called Zabu who put a bag on the ground beside the bed and turned to leave. She recognized it as the bag Heero packed when they left. She had forgotten about it. The tribesmen must have been carrying it since she knew Heero was not carrying it after they had been surrounded. "Zabu says that there is a spring nearby that has minerals in it that would help clean out the wound.", she heard Heero say quietly. She stood carefully and walked slowly over to where Heero was standing. He reached out to take her but she held up a hand to stop him. "I can walk." she said breathlessly. Followed them for ten minutes before she began to sway and she felt him catch her and hoist her up into his arms. "You have lost too much blood Relena. I should have just carried you." he grumbled. Relena was too tired to answer.

When they got to the spring Zabu left them. Heero sat her up and began to peel off her clothes. She wanted to protest but she was too weak to move. She just stared at him with a dazed look in her eye. His arms fell away from her and for a few moments she felt herself shiver from the cold breeze that brushed against her naked skin. Then his arms were around her again and she felt the heated water of the hot spring take the chill out of her bones and melt away the layer of pain that had engulfed her. Her eyes cleared enough for her to see the naked upper body of Heero Yuy. He was perfect. His lean chest was rippling with muscles and his arms bore the evidence of the intense training he endured during every mission. They were lean, like the rest of his body, but they also were muscular.

He bore the scars of his many missions, but for some reason they were so faded she could barely see them. She had experienced firsthand some of the injuries he sustained. It baffled her that some of them did not leave horrible scars from the horrible wounds. Then she noticed once again the black bruises on his side. "How are your ribs? Do they hurt" she asked. It took all herwill to muster the strength to ask, but she was worried. He looked down at her with a look so intense she could feel heat rise up to her cheeks, but she could not look away. Finally he shook his head, grunted, and took out a small, green bar of soap.

As Heero soaped her baby soft skin he felt himself stir. Scolding himself mentally, he reminded himself that she was injured and he shook the thoughts that had popped into his head when he peeled away her clothes and saw the flawlessly beautiful, milky flesh under it all. He knew that they both had wounds and needed a bath. So to save time, he decided to get in the spring with her instead of coming after. He would get wet anyway. At least that was what he told himself. In the back of his mind he knew that a part of him was enjoying this. Then she had used up so much strength just to ask him about his own injury. He nearly took her right there. She looked so vulnerable and concerned. For him.

He had fought hard to detach himself from what he was doing and made a quick job of bathing her. When he was done he bathed himself and lifted her gently out of the spring where he wrapped her in skins and laid her down so he could dress himself. Then as he dressed her, she looked up at him again. "Thank you" she whispered. Heero stroked her cheek softly. "Anytime." he said. With that, he scooped her up and carried her back to the hut. He laid her on her side and quickly bandaged the wound that had already began to heal. There really something remarkable about that spring. He made sure she was comfortable before he left.

Relena watched him go. She sighed. She remembered what it felt like to have his hands roam all of her body. She was ashamed to say that it had aroused her more than she wanted to admit. But it was the look in his eye when she thanked him that really weakened her knees. Something sparkled in those beautiful midnight blue orbs. She remembered the teasing words that came after. '_Anytime_' he had said. As ridiculous as it sounded, she had not known him capable to tease. '_Maybe the girl in the picture had taught him how_' her mind insisted. She felt a pang in her chest and hastily pushed the thought out of her mind. She didn't want to think about that girl, or how beautiful she was. Another felt another sharp pang in her chest and sighed. Sleep would help.

The next morning Relena woke to find herself laying alone in the furs. '_Where was Heero_?' she wondered. As if on cue, Heero walked in. "The Tribal Leader is ready to see you Relena." he said simply. She got up quickly and made to dress. She smiled to herself as Heero left to give her privacy. Even after he had seen and touched her entire body. A shudder ran through her body at the thought. She quickly donned her shorts and T-shirt, then hurried out of the hut.

Heero was waiting patiently. He led her to the Tribal Leader's hut and she hurried in. He stepped down from his 'throne' and walked over to her.

"You must be the one who has caused such chaos in my lands. Do you know how much fear you have spread throughout the lands with your presence?"

"No I do not. But I am sincerely sorry about any inconvenience we have caused you. If I had a choice about it I would have not come and caused problems for you."

He looked at her for a long moment and then walked back to his throne. He sat and stared at her thoughtfully. She returned his stare unflinching. Then a low sound came from deep in his throat and Relena recognized it as a chuckle. "Such a delicate flower to have been the cause of so much fear and anger amongst us. But then, every rose has its thorn. Is that not a saying from your planet?" heasked amused. Relena nodded and smiled. "Then I ask of you one thing. If you are not here to harm us, what are you here for?" he asked. Relena chose her words carefully. "Just as your people fear for their safety and the safety of their leader, so do mine. I have come here to escape the dangers of those who would like to destroy me and the peace I have managed to bring to my people." she said.

The Tribal Leader looked at her for a moment. "Then I will let you go. You and your people. But I want you to stay here for a fortnight. I believe that when you have come to appreciate the beauty of my lands and my people, you will be more hesitant to do anything to harm it." Relena nodded and stood. She turned and walked out with Heero close behind her.

"That seems too easy."

"Don't worry Heero. Some leaders just want peace."

"I think there's more to it than that. But if you want to believe that crock he just told you, you can. I'll do the worrying for the both of us."

"Heero, please don't do anything rash."

"Like what?"

Relena turned and looked at him. His signature lack of expression had returned and he was eyeing her piercingly. She sighed. "Let's just enjoy what this valley has to offer. Can you do that for me?" she pleaded. The intensity of his gaze softened and he walked back to the tent with her. He leaned against the wall of the hut with his arms crossed and his foot up. She had seen this pose a thousand times and it never ceased to make her heart flutter. He was so striking to look at. She sighed and sat on the bed. Suddenly his gaze caught hers and she felt herself lean back on her elbows. For a moment neither of them moved. Then with a swiftness unparalleled he crossed the room and pinned her to the bed with his body.

He kissed her deeply. Her arms circled his neck and slid into his hair. It was surprisingly soft. She moaned softly and gasped as she felt him trail kisses down her throat. Her hands found their way up his shirt and she ran her hands up and down his back. His body was firm and smooth. His hand worked its way up her T-shirt and slid under her bra with skillful grace and cupped her breast. His lips met her once again she found herself panting as he passed his thumb over her nipple. She felt her body melting under his. But when his knee slid between her legs and parted them, she froze.

Her eyes glazed over and she began to tremble violently. Heero looked down at her and saw the expression of horror on her face. "No...no...please." she was whispering. He began to shake her gently, then roughly when she didn't respond. Her eyes cleared and she looked up at him. "I'm sorry." she said choking on a sob. Tears slid down her face and she pulled away from him. He felt himself growing angrier by the second. '_Whoever did this to her will die slowly_.' he thought bitterly. Relena had her arms tightly wrapped around her body. He sat at the edge of the bed and looked at her.

"Relena, I won't hurt you."

"I know."

"Relena, you don't have to pull away from me."

"I know."

"Come here."

"No."

"Relena."

"I can't"

"Relena, let me hold you."

With that Relena let out an agonized moan. She wanted to hear those words come from him so many times. She looked at him. Though his expression was blank she saw tenderness in his eyes. She slowly crawled over to him. He scooped her up and sat her in his lap. With his thumbs he wiped the tears from her cheeks. Then he held her tightly. She had been shivering violently, but now she was slowly becoming still. When all he could feel was the rise and fall of her chest in sleep, he pulled the top skin aside and laid her back. Brushing a kiss along her smooth cheek, he got up and began to change. It was time for him to find out why this place made him so uneasy. For her sake.

This is a disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I just worship it.


	6. A Twist

Warning: Lemon ahead. If that offends you, then do not read this chapter. (It'll be your loss.) HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Heero crept into the hut of the tribal leader with ease. The stone he had thrown in the bushes nearby had easily distracted the two tribesmen who were standing watch. He lit the lighter he had brought with him and crept to the thrown in the hut. It was hard for him to move around in the limited amount of lighting without making a sound, but he had mastered the skill and before long he was memorizing the placement of each object in the room. As he crept up the wooden steps to the thrown, he noticed a vial of black liquid on the ground near the thrown. He brought the light to it and studied the liquid for a moment before he recognized it.

He was not surprised to recognize it as a poison. A very potent one at that. He moved closer to the thrown and examined it closely. The lavender velvet that covered the throne was scented with spices and covered with jewels. He traced the jewels on the arm of the thrown and immediately thought of Relena. 'I would give anything to one day be able to shower her with jewels like these.' he thought. He immediately froze. Never had he let thoughts like that run through his mind. 'I must be getting soft' he thought bitterly. He examined the thrown further and found nothing of real interest, but he heard voices getting closer and went quickly to the back of the thrown and crouched down low.

Two tribesmen came in and one was scowling at the other who was holding a candle. "You must think I am stupid and cannot see how Zabu is enamored of the earth queen. It is shameful! Our women are beyond beautiful, and yet he refuses a wife and becomes immediately smitten with an outsider. If I were Onabu's personal guard, I would be watching the female closely and her guard even closer. That one has the eyes of a demon.," he said disdainfully. The other tribesman merely shook his head as he grabbed a green garment from a rack in the corner. "You see more than there is Tethos. The female from earth is very beautiful. With her hair like golden silk and eyes that resemble the sun itself, it is not difficult to see why Zabu finds her tempting. She has her own kind of earth charm." He said tolerantly.

Heero waited patiently for them to leave and came out. He had found himself surging with an unpleasant emotion at the mention of Relena's name. He tried to shake it off, but it was still there as he crept back into the hut where he found her sleeping peacefully. He sat on the edge of the skins near her and stroked her cheek as softly as he could. Still, his calloused hands felt rough against her smooth skin. He turned quickly and dropped his head in his hands. "I'm too rough for you Relena. You need someone who knows how to be gentle." he said in frustration.

He felt a hand on his back and tensed. "Heero." he heard Relena's voice say behind him. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the feeling in his chest as he heard his name being called in her soft voice. She slid her hand up his back and he felt himself tense even more. "Relena!" he said huskily as her other hand slid up his back and found his shoulder. It was a warning and by the stilling of her hands he knew she understood what it meant. The mere thought of her lying so close to him and the memory of her naked body tortured him mercilessly. His breathing became labored as the heat of the hands against his back burned through his clothing and assaulted his senses.

With a speed he was infamous for, Heero spun around snatching her wrists and pinning them above her head. Relena was so stunned that for a moment she just stared at him in shock. She was pinned onto the bed by Heero who was glaring down at her with an indiscernable expression on his face. Surprisingly she was unafraid. Even his firm body position between her thighs did not frighten her. Her expression softened. "Heero." she whispered. A tortured look crossed his face and his grip on her wrists slackened. The power she had over him was suddenly and amazingly evident to her. She moved her hips against him and watched with an odd satisfaction as he let go of her wrists with a moan and kissed her roughly.

His hand lowered from her neck to her breast and she gasped softly. Heero stopped and looked down at her. "We don't have to do this." he said affectionately. It was his first time she heard him speak so lovingly in all the time she knew him. Tears welled up in her eyes and she smiled at him. "I want to Heero." she said shyly. Heero wiped her tears away and kissed her once more. This time the kiss was gentle. It ignited a passion in her that she had not known she possessed. She arched against him and slipped her hands into his silky hair as he trailed kisses down her neck.

She shivered when he pulled the T-shirt over her head and looked down at her with uncharacteristic tenderness. He kissed her deeply as he unhooked her bra and tossed it aside. She moaned when she felt his hands graze her stomach and go down to her shorts. Heero paused and looked down at her. Relena smiled and stroked his cheek. She knew what he was thinking and loved him all the more for it. He leaned in and kissed her as he unbuttoned her shorts and pulled them off. He let her undress him and watched her carefully as she stared at him. She reached out shyly and traced the scars on his arms and chest. "What have they done to you?" she said morosely. Heero smiled. "Nothing I didn't expect." he answered smiling.

Relena kissed the scar over his heart and smiled shyly. "You're still beautiful. Everything about you isbeautiful Heero." she whispered. Heero looked at her in amazement. He had expected her to be appalled by the scars he had accumilated over the years. Instead she seemed in awe of them. He stroked her cheek and slid his hand down to cup her breast. Teasing the nipple with his thumb he used his other hand to pull her panties down. She stiffened at first but relaxed immediately as he closed his mouth over the breast he had been teasing causing her to moan loudly. He teased her with his tongue as his other hand came up over the other breast. "My God...Heero!" she gasped.

He leaned in and parted her thighs with his knee watching her reaction. Instead of flinching and pulling away as she had done before, she opened to him completely. He slid his hand between her thighs and smiled as a low moan escaped her lips. She shivered violently and dug her nails into his back when his fingers slid into her. She gasped and pressed her body against his.

"Heero!"

"I know."

"Please!"

"I know."

"I need you."

"I'm here."

"I love you."

Heero froze and stared at her. She sensed his withdrawl and opened her eyes. The intense look on Heero's face made her blush deeply. She hadn't meant to blurt it out that way. She suddenly was afraid she had made a grave mistake. "I...Heero..." she stammered, but her words were cut off as Heero kissed her deeply and entered her in one fluid motion. She was shocked by his tenderness and the way he dazzled her senses with his kisses and caresses. The feel of him inside of her was like nothing she could have imagined. Her memories of the rape seeped to the back of her mind and were replaced by the feeling that was welling up inside of her. As she reached her peak she gripped his arms and the feeling of her body melting swept over her.

They both lay spent and tangled in the skins. Heero layed his head on her chest and his arms circled her waist. She cherished the feeling of his arms around her. After several moments she realized that he had fallen asleep. She looked down at him and smiled. Gently she moved from beneath him and lay on her side staring at his face. The vulnerability she saw stunned her. He was usually so cold and lethal, never could she have imagined that he could look so helpless. His face looked almost childish in its innocence. Stroking his hair, she pulled him toward her. "I'll take care of you." she whispered into his hair. Moments later she was asleep.

The next morning Relena woke up and found herself alone. She frowned and looked about her. Had she not been naked, she would of thought the night before was merely a dream. She dressed and walked out of the hut scanning the area around her for any sign of Heero, but he simply was nowhere in sight. She turned to go back to her hut when two tribesmen came up to her. "Our leader Onabu would like to see you." one said. Relena looked at him for a moment, then followed them to the hut of the tribal leader. When they walked into the hut, the tribal leader sat waiting with a smile on his face.

"We have talked amongst each other and come to the conclusion that our people would be so much more comfortable if you were the garments of our woman. I hope it is not too much to ask." he said amiably. Relena was livid. "I doubt you mean those flimsy pieces of cloth that your women wear. With all due respect I have to refuse. I do not wish to offend you, but I would be extremely uncomfortable wearing that." she said deferentially. Onabu was slightly put out. Recovering from his initial surprise he quickly sent her an understanding smile.

"I understand you perfectly. I just wish for both you and your gaurd to be treated as part of the tribe while you are here." he said. Relena smiled back. "I understand you also Leader Onabu, but I would not like to give off the wrong impression. I am a guest here, not a member of your tribe and I believe that wearing the garments of the women in your tribe, who are given a lowly position in your society, would be given the impression that I have in some way submitted to you rather than negotiated with you."she explained.

Onabu was annoyed. He had not expected her to be so well spoken. To him women were not very smart. To be outsmarted by one greatly offended him. He shifted in his seat and willed himself to keep the smile on his face. This woman was one he had never come across. Suddenly he found himself wanting to have her. He loved rare things whether it be jewels, animals, foods, or in this case, a woman. Suddenly his anger turned into interest. He would enjoy claiming her as one of his.

Relena, who had been waiting patiently for his response was surprised when it came. "How would you like to wear the clothes of my wives. They are very respected and if I were to display you as my wife they would respect you as well. It would only be for the short time you are here." he said giving her a wide smile. Relena felt her stomach lurch. Onabu was short and obviously well fed because he was grossly overweight. His hair was receding and his facial features were somewhat scattered. His large brown eyes were far apart and his nose and mouth were to the bottom of his face. With thin lips and a narrow mouth he gave the impression of always tasting something sour.

The very thought of being considered one of his wives for even a moment repulsed her. She had to keep herself from shivering in disgust. "I would rather not give that impression either Leader Onabu. I would appreciate it immensely if you would allow me to wear my own clothes." she said. Finally, though reluctantly, Onabu agreed. He seemed very annoyed, but Relena didn't care. The little rags covering the extremities of the women were unacceptable to her. It was bad enough that she had to stay here for an entire fortnight, no matter how beautiful it was. She thought of Hilde and the others and hoped they were okay. She would not forgive herself if they had come to harm.

Walking back to her hut she thought of Heero and smiled. He had been so gentle and loving to her. When had he learned to be so caring? Immediately her thoughts went to the woman in the picture. Maybe it was her who thawed Heero's frozen heart. The thought alone made her pause and hold her chest. She felt as if she had been shot through the heart. She shook it off and entered the hut quickly taking a much needed seat.

"Hard day?" someone asked from behind her. Relena jumped and spun around to find Heero leaning against the wall behind her. She closed her eyes and took a breath. "You scared the hell out of me Heero!" she said breathlessly. Heero made no comment. She turned and dropped her head in her hands. "Where were you this morning?" she asked. For a moment she thought he wouldn't answer. "I was scoping out the land." he said simply. Relena laid back on the skins and looked up at him. He had returned to the Heero she knew so well.

"What did Onabu want with you?" he asked quietly. Relena looked away. "He wanted me to dress like the women of his tribe." she said. Heero frowned. "Why?" he asked. Relena merely shrugged. Heero was silent for a moment.

"He has something up his sleeves."

"To you, everybody does."

"This is no joke Relena."

"I'm not laughing Heero."

Relena was glaring at him. She didn't want to argue with him, but she felt like the only way to vent her frustration with him was to do so. He glared back at her but stayed across the room. Relena turned her back to him and stared at the wall angrily. "Did he say anything odd to you?" he asked. Relena thought about not answering him, but she knew that it was not a matter she could afford to let her feelings interfere with. She sighed heavily. "He asked me to pose as one of his wives while I'm here." she said without turning around.

"Did you refuse?" she heard him ask. Anger filled her and she turned to him. "Do you really need to ask me that?" she spat. Heero looked back at her emotionlessly. She felt like throwing something at him to break his composure. Jumping to her feet she walked over to him. "Is that what you think of me? Do you think I wouldadd myown body as a part of negotiations?" she seethed. Heero's expression never wavered. "I'm only a bodygaurd Relena. What I think doesn't matter." he said calmly.

Relena went cold. She shook her head slowly and inched away from him. As she turned she felt Heero grab her arm and pull her toward him. He hugged her to him and sighed. "I'm sorry Relena. I just couldn't picture you with anyone else. The very thought of it makes me go cold." he said softly. Relena pulled away from him. "I have to think about you and that girl everyday, but not once have I insulted you because of it." she said hoarsely. Heero frowned. "What girl?" he asked. Relena shook her head. She sat on the skins and tried to ignore his eyes piercing through her.

He walked over to her and lifted her chin. "What girl Relena?" he asked again. The mere touch of his hand weakened her resolve and she felt disgusted with herself for being so weak. "The girl in the picture." she whispered defeatedly. She pulled away from him once again and looked down. She hadn't wanted him to know that she was jealous of the girl in the picture. For several moments there was silence.

Gundam Wing does not belong to me, so please do not sue me. I'm broke.


	7. Rude Awakenings

I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long. School stuff. Sighs regretfully

Heero's body stiffened considerably and he stood in front of her still as a statue. At first she thought he would leave. It seemed like he had forgotten entirely that she was in the room waiting desperately for him to respond.

Then abruptly he moved. He walked out of the hut and left her sitting on the bed bereft. Her heart and her head simultaneously dropped and she could feel tears gently pushing against the backs of her reddened eyes. The air seemed to have left her body and she remained in a suspended state of shock. She turned and was further surprised to see Heero had returned and was standing in the doorway looking lost. It was the first time she had ever seen him without control. She was quite sure it was the only time anyone had ever seen him without control.

He was staring at the ground but she could tell that it was the object in his hand that held his attention. In his right hand, even across the room, Relena could see that he held a picture tightly. She stared at him for a moment before getting up and walking over to him. "Heero?" she said timidly. She was afraid. Afraid of seeing another side of him that she didn't know. Afraid that this new side of him would be another side of him that she couldn't reach or a side that didn't want her to reach him.

Slowly he opened the picture and glanced at it. It was a slow and lingering glance that made Relena shudder involuntarily. Then he shot her a look that utterly disarmed her. It was a pleading look. It seemed that he was begging her to understand something. She took him in her arms and held him for a moment. It felt good to finally be the one to comfort him. He pulled away from her after a while and sat down pulling her down next to him. She looked at him earnestly and waited. "Relena, the woman in this picture is my sister.", he said soberly.

For a moment Relena could not speak. The first emotion that hit her was relief. She felt immensely relieved to know that he was not carrying the memento of a woman he once loved. But then came mortification. She was horrified to find that she had not only been hating a person who was related to the man she loved, but in the process, she was bringing up memories that were obviously painful to him. The last emotion was curiousity. As far as anyone knew, Heero had no family.

"I know what you think. How could Heero Yuy have any family when he doesn't even have his own name?" Heero whispered. Relena opened her mouth to protest but the glare Heero sent her stopped her before she could utter a word. "If there is one thing I would ask of you Relena, it's that you never lie to me. Even if you think it will keep from hurting me.", he said gravely, "I've been lied to enough." He looked away from her suddenly. "The earliest memories I have were of me being around eleven. I never had even one memory of being a regular kid or having a family. I was always told that I had been orphaned when I was a baby and that there was no one in my family that had survived. I was alone.

I never asked anymore questions. They gave me a purpose and trained me to be what I am. They taught me that emotion was dangerous. Family was dangerous. I was to fulfill my missions without question. Insubordination was unacceptable. It was when I met the other Gundam pilots and you that I realized these lessons were more for their benefit than mine. Then I met her. I was on a mission to find her and bring her in. She had gotten close to Treize. We all knew that he would come back and she had information about how he plans to go about doing it.

When we first met she was standing in the middle of a park. She spotted me from a distance and looked me straight in my eye. It was clear to me then that she had recognized me. I wasn't sure of how, but that night when we were ready to leave, she told me. She said that a study was done on all the children of the Catholic school I attended as a child. I showed to have a high capability for physical resilience. They later took me along with several other kids my age. She said that she knew who I was the moment she spotted me, but before I could find out anything about my past or get to know the only person that could tell me who I was, she was killed. Assasinated by one of Treize's henchmen.

She died in my arms Relena. She died telling me that she was happy to go knowing that she had finally found me. That she had dedicated her life to finding me and she finally did... I had dedicated my life to destruction."

Heero stopped and continued to stare at the ground. It seemed that he was thinking something over. Abruptly he stood up and turned away from her. She had been disgusted by what she heard. Must Heero spend his life suffering? She had seen the scars on his body that resulted from the 'missions' he was given. How was it possible that a human being could be used in so many ways? No wonder he was cold. No wonder he kept himself at a distance from everyone. From her.

Suddenly Relena felt foolish and selfish for being so frustrated with him. She had wanted him to love her and trust her, but never had she really considered the possibility that it would be so very hard for him to do so. His heart had been broken everytime he exposed it and he had been used cruelly by the only people he trusted. Relena understood now more than ever how lucky she had been to be loved by both of the families she was blessed with. Her real parents and the ones that she had always thought were her own.

She stood and looked at his back. "Heero, come to me." she whispered. For a moment nothing happened. Then Heero turned slowly. It seemed that everything that had made him the Heero she knew had seeped from him. For a moment he looked helpless. He walked into her arms and let her hold him as he had held her. She was amazed that even though he was so full of pain and sorrow, not once did he break down. Not once did he show weakness or self-pity. He merely showed regret and a weariness that he was entitled to. This man who she held in her arms became in that instant, her life. She hoped that she could absorb some of his strength so that she could run the country with the strength that a President needs.

Heero woke up and realized that his head was resting on Relena's lap. He could feel her soft hands running through his hair and he felt at peace. It startled him so much that he stiffened causing Relena to lean over and kiss his forhead. He normally never allowed anyone to treat him like a child, but for some reason it didn't quite feel that way now. It felt comfortable. He sighed and let himself have this moment. He had been dangerously close to losing his mind.

He hadn't let himself think about what happened with his sister. It was uncomfortable for him to think about it. Every day thoughts of murdering Treize Kushrenada ran through his head. He wanted to keep things like that from Relena. He hadn't wanted her to be tainted by the evil that constantly surrounded him. He hadn't really wanted her to come near him at all. There was something about her that made him want to shield her from the evils of the world. Shield her from himself.

It suddenly occured to him that he had actually fallen asleep in her lap. He didn't even remember falling asleep. How could she disarm him of all his natural instincts? His paranoia was what kept him alive and with her he didn't feel it at all. In his life, comfort was dangerous. It made him uneasy that he wouldn't be fully alert when he was with her. That was the time he needed to be most alert. After his sister, she was the only person he felt he needed to protect.

He gazed sleepily at the semi-covered thigh his head was resting on. He let his fingers caress the skin there. It was so soft he felt as if his calloused hands would somehow hurt her, but the urge to touch her was growing. He absently ran his hand along the inside of her thigh and was pleasantly surprised to find that she wore a skirt. That gave him the liberty to explore further.

He let his hand move up until he felt the silky cloth of her panties and heard the sharp intake of breath that followed his touch. He then brought his hand back down. It was odd to him that even though he felt an urge to touch her, he didn't feel the urge to make love to her. Instead he wanted, needed to see all of her. He wanted her in a different way. It was such a strong feeling that it made him uncomfortable. He leaned up and looked deep into her eyes searching for something, but not sure what.

Then he saw it. He never thought he would ever see it again, but there it was. Deep in her eyes he saw her love for him. It stunned him and warmed him at the same time. The emotions that he was experiencing all at the same time had him confused, but for once he didn't gaurd himself against them. He decided to really see what they felt like. For once he wanted, even a moment of happiness.

He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. "Why have I never really seen you Relena?" he asked. Relena was so shocked she couldn't answer. "I have always watched you, but never really seen you." he whispered. She looked up at him and smiled. "I don't think you were looking properly. Maybe you didn't know how." she said. She laughed at his comical look of confusion. It was a fact that he hadn't worn that expression very often. She kissed him deeply and sighed with satisfaction. He tasted so good. She wondered what he would say if she told him that. Then she smirked. It would be worth it to see him blush, that is, if he ever did.

I do not own Gundam Wing, but if I did I would probably be rich.


	8. Happiness

Chapter Eight

Happiness

Relena was sitting in Zabu's hut, her head pounding with her repressed need to punch him in the mouth. She had known that his view of women was offensive at best, but his condescending comments were driving her quietly insane. His bloated body jiggled with every loud guffaw as he conversed with his men. Katlim was his general, a tall taciturn man that reminded her of the gundam pilots. Though he obviously had a sense of humor, and one she found as unpleasant as their leader's, his face seemed encased in stone. He was muscular and deeply tanned his face hard and expressionless. Every now and then his gaze would meet hers and the acute distaste she read in his gaze was not hostile but disturbing nevertheless.

Heero was standing in the corner of the hut, his eyes trained on the general with obvious distrust. The tension of his body was almost visible, though his posture was relaxed to the untrained eye. Though he stood leaning against the wall of the hut with hooded eyes, it was evident to both her and the other warriors surrounding him that one wrong move and he would become extremely deadly to them all. Though they tried to ignore him altogether, she could see them glance uneasily t him more than once. It made her want to laugh out loud. Zabu turned to her. "I have spoken to the wives about you, earth queen. They would like to show you some of the ways of our women." He said with a sly smile. Relena glanced at Heero whose eyes narrowed dangerously.

She gave him a subtle look to let him know she was as suspicious as he was. "I would be honored to learn the ways of your people as long as you do not object to my bodyguard being with me." She said politely. Zabu looked irritated momentarily, but sighed as if he was indulging her. "You may keep your earth guard with you if you wish." He said with a dismissing wave of his hand. Then he shot Heero with a look as suspicious as those he'd received. "They are my wives, earth guard. This means they are not to be touched by the hands of any male other than I." he said with a warning look. Heero's face gave nothing away though if read right, his eyes showed a liberal amount of disdain. Zabu leaned towards her and asked in what was too loud to be mistaken as a whisper. "Surely you do not use your bodyguards for more than just _guarding_ your person on earth?" he asked.

Though Relena flushed and had the distinct urge to slap him, she knew this tactic. Zabu was a sneaky vat of lard. He wanted her to take offense because if she said or did anything in his land she and Heero both would be at his mercy with good reason. He also would be able to claim that he meant no offense seeing the difference in their culture. The fact that he thought her as simple as to be tricked by that made her as weary as she was offended. It had taken her quite some time to get the respect she deserved on earth. To have to fight for it here made her sick to her stomach. Had she been a man, she would have been treated with a significant amount of more respect. Her position weighed on her more heavily than before. Her innocence had been stolen because of her title and she was only here to preserve her life. Now she found her dignity being slowly shredded as well.

She glanced at Heero quickly and found he had shifted position and gone so still that the guards around him were visibly tense. Katlim sent Heero a hostile stare. "As you are here to guard the earth queen, I protect Leader Zabu. Be careful, pale one." He sneered. Heero didn't even glance at him. His focus was Zabu and her awaited response. She cleared her throat and addressed Zabu. "My guard is everything I need at all times. That is the only answer I deem appropriate." She said, choosing to show her irritation. Zabu smiled. "I meant no offense, Princess. Our culture is quite different, is it not?" he asked merrily. He turned to Heero before she could answer. "Calm yourself, guard. I meant no offense to your Princess." He said with another dismissing wave of his hand. Heero gave the leader a curt nod and shot Katlim a smile that could only be described as menacing.

"I would like to meet your wives then. How many are there if you don't mind me asking?" she asked politely. Zabu smiled at her. "There are twenty wives. You may meet them tomorrow at sunlight." He said proudly. Relena stared at him in unflinching, but her expression hid her horror. That was no less than a harem. Appalling. She nodded and stood from her cross legged seat at the foot of the throne. She acknowledged that she would have to accept being degraded to a certain extent but she knew Zabu's game. He thought she would be enamored of the easy lifestyle of the women in the tribe. He could not be more wrong. She left the hut with respectful bow and headed toward the hot spring Heero had discovered the day before. She wanted a long soak and a long nap. Being in Zabu's company was exhausting. She could feel rather than hear Heero following behind her.

The path to the hot springs was as beautiful as the rest of the valley, lush and green with flowers she did not recognize but found enchanting. When they cleared the brush to the deep and scenic pool of steaming water, she turned to Heero who was watching her in concern. "Are you okay?" he asked in his familiar monotone. She'd come to love the sound of it. She walked into his arms and let his arms enclose her and hold her tight. "I can't wait to be done here." She whispered. He stroked her hair and said nothing, though he didn't need to. She pulled away from him suddenly, her eyes trained to his. She undressed slowly and reveled in the heat that crept into his eyes and burned intensely. She backed into the spring and dipped her body into the water. She surfaced to find him staring at her intently.

"Join me." She said. Heero hesitated. "Relena…" he started but she glared at him. "You heard what I told Zabu. You are what I need you to be and I need you to be my lover right now so strip. Slowly." She commanded. He looked startled at first but then bowed to her. "As you wish Princess." She said with a slight turn of his lips into a smirk. She watched him reveal every part of his chiseled flesh that she hungered for. He followed her into the spring and stood an arm's length away from her. "What next Princess?" he asked. She turned and pulled her mass of golden locks over her shoulder. "My shoulders are tense. Surely you can remedy that." She said in a haughty tone. He put his calloused hands to work massaging the knots out her shoulders and neck with a thorough ease she would ask about later. Then his arms slipped around her to cup her breasts and pull her back into him. His rigid length slid between the cleft of her rear up into the small of her back. She shuddered in delight and let him massage her breasts as well. He played with her nipples, making them stiff and full. With every tweak and pull of his fingers she grew moister with her own juices.

Heero was aroused beyond belief. Relena had taken the role of vixen this evening and though he had never seen her in this mood, he was infatuated with it. She ground her hips against him and reached her arms up behind her to encircle his neck. He lets his hands roam her lithe body, kneading the flesh of her hips and thighs. When he tried to turn her around she danced out of his grasp, a graceful movement even in the density of the spring water. He was mesmerized by the playful mood she seemed to be in and the seductive way she played with him. He'd never had anyone comfortable enough to play with him this way. He liked it a lot. She suddenly splashed water at him, stunning him for a moment. The look on his face must have been comical because she burst out laughing. It was a beautiful sound. He found himself splashing her back and before he knew it they were playing and splashing, slapping the water out of each other's cupped hands.

He found himself being tickled and though he was not ticklish, his body conditioned to be immune under intense training, he still laughed. He did not remember the sound ever coming from himself. Relena was just as stunned, but the awed adoration of her gaze made his chest tight with an emotion he did not recognize. "You're so beautiful when you laugh." She said in a teary eyed whisper as she held his face in her palms. At that point he could not have stopped himself. He lifted her easily, bridle style and laid her on the plush grassy bank and claimed her mouth in a scorching kiss. He pulled away and trailed kisses down her neck, breasts and stomach. He pulled her thighs apart roughly, gazing up her body and loving the passion in her eyes and the fullness of her kiss swollen lips.

From this moment she would be firmly imprinted into his very soul and though it terrified him, he knew she was worth it. Dying for this woman would redeem his life as a killer. The meaningless existence he'd known his whole life was washed away in the taste of her skin, the scent of her flesh and those breathy moans that made his cock twitch in excitement. With their gaze locked he dipped his head to her lovely nest of pale curls and tasted her. She gasped, her moan spurring him on. He licked her, sucked and lost himself in her essence. She thrashed around until he had to lock his arms around her thighs to keep her still. She tasted of honey and spices, so delicious he moaned into her flesh, unable to get enough. When she shuddered beneath him he knew she'd found her release.

He held her as her body shook with the last of its tremors. Then he picked her up and sat in a shallow part of the spring so he could hold her as she recovered. She pulled back out of his arms though she stayed in his lap and kissed him deeply. "I love you." She said staring intently into his arms. He touched his forehead to hers and smiled. "I love you too Relena." He said with a sheepish smile. Ters leaked out of her eyes and he wiped them away. "I will protect you and I will do everything in my power to ensure that the only tears you cry are because you're happy." He said sincerely. Relena flung her arms around him and he held her as she cried tears of joy. Zabu and the one called Katlim were up to something but he would keep his promise if his life depended on it and something told him it did.

To be continued….


	9. Jealousy

Chapter 9

Jealousy

It was dawn and Heero was watching Relena as the last of sleep escaped her and she opened her eyes. She was sprawled over his chest; her head snuggled into the crook of his shoulder. He let out a small moan and smiled up at him. She stretched, her lithe form sliding against him and arousing him once more. He hadn't had sex often and when he had they were rough couplings that were more businesslike than erotic. Even aroused as he was he didn't expect to make love. He simply enjoyed having her against him and knowing that had he wanted to, she would have been willing. That in itself was something he had not imagined would ever have happened. It was a pleasure.

"Morning love." She said almost absently before sitting up and planting a sweet kiss on his lips. He stared at her in amazement before following her lead and getting up to dress. "This should be very interesting. "She said as she put on a simple blue and white floral dress. "There is something about this that makes me uneasy." He said pulling a white t-shirt over his head. He'd pulled on a pair of cargo pants. They best concealed his daggers. Relena turned to him with a smile. "Hopefully no one will need killing today. I can tell the weather will be beautiful." She said with a chuckle. He smiled at her back as she walked out of the hut. He didn't know how she could make jokes when the danger they were in was so evident but that is what he admired about Relena. She was ever the optimist.

Zabu and his entourage of guards were already coming their way. Behind then trailed a group of women who were obviously anxious about the arrangement. The one right behind him was going to be trouble. She was beautiful with knee length chestnut locks and a curvaceous body. Her caramel flesh was smooth and glowed with health. Her oval face was graced with two large hazel eyes and full lips that told secrets of sensuous nights. Heero disliked her immediately. Her eyes glittered with malice as she watched Relena greet her husband. "Koti is my first wife and will show you our ways along with the others. Beda, Lakshi, Tabi, Aryn, Dili, Norlia, Agamay, Tilma, Zebnati, Yolin, Gowlif, Obinay, Catya, Glima, Sashi, Vria, Flasri, Hita, and Draqui. In that order are my women and I am positive you will enjoy their company." He said with a broad smile.

Relena bowed to the women some of which she knew were going to be difficult to deal with. Aryn, a pretty young woman with a plump and curvy body, tanned skin and bright green eyes stood out. Her long sable curls were as bouncy as her apparent personality. She beamed at Relena, positively oozing goodwill and friendship. Relena glanced at Heero's taciturn face and knew instinctively that this particular fact had not gone unnoticed to him. Koti was taller than her by two feet and she wore her height with the authoritative flare she obviously only felt with other women. "At dawn it is our duty to prepare the morning meal for our people. Come." She said to Relena with somewhat of a dismayed sneer. She looked to Heero and the blatant interest in her eyes was almost scary.

Relena felt a vicious spark of jealousy. This woman was gorgeous and exotic; she was unsure what Heero's response was. He watched the woman with an intensity that had her back up. Koti licked her lips as she gazed at him up and down. "Earth seems to have its treasures." She said before leading the way to a path down the valley's plains. Heero watched her every move and Relena could cheerfully rip the bitch's hair out. With that disturbing thought, she followed the woman as they walked and chattered on their way. Heero followed a safe distance behind her to her relief, but she couldn't shake the uneasiness. She dropped back and let him catch up to her. "What do you think of Koti?" she asked neutrally. Heero crossed his arms and stared ahead. "We will have to watch her. She will become a problem." He said in his monotone.

Relena wasn't sure what to make of that beyond the obvious. Nodding she accepted his answer with as much grace as she could muster. She moved forward towards the women and noticed that Aryn dropped behind to walk next to her. "You are the earth queen! I have been curious ever since Zabu told us that you arrived in our valley. Welcome!" she said with gusto. Relena smiled at her. "Thank you very much. Can you tell me what we are going to be doing to prepare?" she asked. Aryn slapped her palms together in excitement. "The morning meal is as fun as the evening dinner. We kill a cow, gut and clean it, and then we begin the roasts and stews. We pick vegetables and fruits, and then we prepare each dish separately. Each of us has our own dish we prepare or we delegate some to picking and preparing the side dishes." She said happily.

Relena liked Aryn already. Her bubbly personality made it easier to get into the task at hand. "What will my role be?" she asked. Aryn open her mouth with her trademark enthusiasm, but then closed it with a slight frown. "I do not know. Koti is the first wife and has much power. She delegates the wives chores." She said. Relena almost groaned out loud in dismay. It was obvious that Koti disliked her immensely. This truly would be interesting. They came to the plain that had a small herd of cow grazing freely. It was obvious this was where the woman gathered for each meal because there were tables filled with bowls and cooking utensils all carved from wood.

There was a small spring running alongside the herd and plenty room to get to work. Some women spread out immediately, some awaiting the delegation of the remaining tasks. Koti smirked at her. "Since you are such a power on your own planet, your first task will be to kill the cow and help butcher it. This you should take as an honor." She said. Relena bristled with fury. She did not take killing to be a light task no matter the species of the victim. She heard Heero come up behind her but she turned to him quickly and shook her head. She knew Koti wanted her to lose face by either refusing or letting Heero take her place. "Fine." She said. She slid against Heero who stood impassively and reached into the elastic of his waist pulling out a dagger. She cupped him quickly and firmly before pulling away.

There was no indication in his posture or expression that showed this affected him, but she heard the sharp intake of breath that was so soft only she could hear. She turned to Koti whose fury was evident and smiled. "Which cow?" she asked nonchalantly. Koti gathered herself and spun on her heel to take her to the herd. She chose an older cow that was plumper than she thought any cow should be. "We chose those who are too old to give birth easily and fatten them up for the slaughter." Koti told her coldly. Relena's face was impassive as Koti led the animal to her. What Koti did not know was that Relena was trained. Though the training had not helped her fight of the man that assaulted her, it was enough to kill a cow. Breathing deeply, she walked up to the animal and stroked its head before quickly dropping to a crouch and plunging the dagger straight into its heart.

The animal teetered and then dropped having died before hitting the ground. Relena jerked her wrist to get the access blood off of the blade. "Now what?" she asked with a raised brow. All chatter had ceased and Koti was watching her with a mixture of chagrin and fear. It quickly turned to irritation. "Now Agamay will help you butcher the animal and show you which cuts are for which of the men. Norlia will show you how to prepare them." She said dismissively. Relena turned to the women who she would be working with and smiled. They smiled back, and then led her to their task. Heero kept nearby but every now and then his gaze would wander back to Koti. Bristling in rage she butchered the animal with more enthusiasm than was necessary, at times stunning the women she was with. She would assuage their fears with a brilliant smile but by the time they were done she was sure that they believed her to be a coldhearted killer.

After the butchering was done they cleaned the meat and it was time to season them with a surprisingly aromatic array of spices already prepared. The task became fun and soon they were chatting and laughing together. "Your bodyguard is very intense. It does not scare you to have him so close at all times?" Agamay asked as she wrapped the heart, liver, and kidneys in a leaf with some nuts. She was a shy girl no older than fifteen. She was not pretty because her features were too sharp but her light brown eyes were expressive and her slender body had the promise of voluptuousness when she grew into it. Her buttery complexion and mass of feather sable locks made her attractive in her own way. Relena smiled at her as she wrapped a variety of steaks in a similar fashion. "I trust him with my life. I do not fear him in the least." She answered.

Norlia laughed. "And he is pretty to look at. We do not have men here so pretty. Look at his eyes. Have you ever seen a lovelier blue?" she asked the younger girl. Norlia was lovely, tall and had fair skin. Her grey eyes were slanted and her hair could be called mahogany. It was bone straight and waist length. Relena smiled at that. She glanced back at the man in question who was watching her at the moment. His face gave nothing away, but the intensity of his gaze had her blushing though she didn't know why. Norlia leaned into her. "Koti will try for him, if he is more than simply a guard, you must watch for her. Koti excels at seduction and has borne enough sons to have been granted the right to have who she wants." She whispered. Relena went cold. "But Zabu said the wives cannot be touched by other men." She said with a frown. Agamay snorted. "That is a lie he tells foreigners. If wife has borne him three sons she has the right of any lover she chooses. It will hurt his pride if any of us lay with a foreigner but it can be done." She said.

Relena began tenderizing the remaining steaks with a little too much zeal. "Why would she want my guard?" she asked in a horrified whisper. Norlia sighed. "Koti believes she is too beautiful for just any man. She has wanted your guard from the moment she saw him. She said his beauty alone rivals hers." She ended with a bemused chuckle. Agamay glanced back at Heero with an awed look. "He is beautiful but I would be too frightened to lay with him." She said with a blush. Relena smiled at her. "I am unsure what I could do to stop her." She said bemused. Norlia caught her look and her eyes widened in shock. "You took him as a lover?" she asked. Relena opened her mouth to lie but she realized it would be in her favor to speak the truth. "Yes, he is my lover." She said. Agamay blushed deeply and Norlia let out a rich bout of laughter that had the other women glancing their way. Including Koti. "You are a strong leader to tame such a beast. He has eyes of a demon no matter their beauty. I have gained a healthy respect for you, Relena." She said with a wide smile.

Relena was startled by the other woman's commentary but she was glad she got it off her chest. She did not exactly want their relationship to be a secret though on earth it would have been too dangerous to expose. She had an overwhelming need to have Koti know he was off limits. Closing her eyes briefly to gather her wits she returned to her task only listening to the two wives banter. It took the better portion of the next four hours to finish preparing the meal, and then the women gather their respective dishes and began on their way back to the village. The rest of the village was waiting, having prepared the meal setting in the center of the village. They began serving the dishes with laughter and song. It was a beautiful scene.

Zabu beckoned her over to him smiling. "Agamay has told me that you killed our meal this fine morning. You would make a fine queen to our tribe if you so chose." He said with a lecherous grin. Relena's smile was thin and trained. "How kind of you to say so." She said sitting at his foot next to Koti who was glaring a whole into her face. Heero stood a foot away from her, his eyes constantly moving to survey the surroundings and watch the people gathered. She ate in silence, ignoring Koti and her venomous mutterings. When Koti abruptly stood and walked over to Heero, she almost followed her but she knew to fight over Heero or show signs of anger about the woman's interest would be showing weakness. She, however, could not tear her eyes away from their interaction.

To her curiosity, Heero said few words but whatever was said caused Koti to bristle in fury. Then abruptly the woman grabbed his hands and used them to cup her breasts. Relena ground her teeth together and almost cracked her spoon in an effort to stay calm. Heero did not react to the bold invitation but he did not pull away. Koti whispered in his ear and grazed his crotch with her palm before strutting away with a seductive smirk. She sat next to Relena with a breathy laugh. "Your guard has an anaconda hiding under your funny earth clothes." She said. Relena gave her a brilliant smile. "I know. And when he lets it out only a strong woman can tame it." She said. Standing, she bowed to Zabu and strode away. She passed Heero without a word and kept moving until she was at the hot spring.

Heero followed behind her but she said nothing to him as she undressed and jumped in. Suddenly she wanted to wash off the sex the still clung to her skin from the night before. They'd made love for hours after bathing in the spring, but at the moment she didn't want to think of it.

"Relena."

"What."

"Why are you angry?"

"I'm not."

"Relena."

"Just shut up."

"Relena."

"I said shut up!"

"Relena."

She turned to find him in the spring with her. "I want to know why you are angry." He said with a frown. She pushed him away from her. "You want to know why? Because that filthy slut put your hands all over her and you let her." She seethed. Heero just stared at her. "It meant nothing and you were not in danger from it." He said in a monotone. She pushed him. "I'm not but damn it how should I feel when the man I love feels up the village tramp?" she spat. Heero grabbed the hands that were shoving at him. "You are being unreasonably emotional. It meant nothing and it will go nowhere. Should I have broken her wrists to appease you?" he asked. Relena pulled way. "You could have pushed her away." She said in a whisper. "And had Zabu used that as an excuse to have me killed or beaten would that have made you feel better? He wants a reason to get rid of me. I'm merely trying to keep that from happening. You need to be protected, Relena. At all times." He said reasonably.

Relena hated how necessary it was for him to have reasoned with her about it. She was a Princess and ruler of the entire earth, but here she as throwing a fit out of jealousy. "I'm sorry. I acted like a child." She said. Heero watched her warily. In his experience, women rarely apologized without an ulterior motive. "Relena, you have to be able to but your emotions aside for the mission. Your life is at stake." He said. She nodded weakly and pulled further from him. He stepped forward and she turned sharply away but not before he smelled and saw her tears. "Relena." He said wrapping his arms around her. Her body jerked with her sobbing. All he knew to do was hold her so he did. A rustle of leaves had him out of the spring with a dagger in his hand and him in a crouched position ready to attack before the person cleared the brush.

"Now isn't this a cute little scene?"

To be continued….


	10. Surprises

Chapter 10

Surprises

"Now isn't this a cute little scene"

Heero charged in the direction of the voice, swiping the legs out from under the speaker and flipping him over then he put a well placed knee in his back. The speaker twisted and hooked his legs around his neck and flipped him forward but he rolled into another crouch. They exchanged a number of blows, Heero catching the speaker with a clip to the chin and receiving a blow to his gut. They both sized each other up for another exchange of deadly counterattacks until Relena's voice stopped them.

"Will you boys stop it already?"

Duo grinned at her and her attempt to preserve her modesty by dunking up to her head in the water. He let his black hood fall back and reached out his hand for Heero to shake. Heero shook it though his glare did not weaken. "You know that if you are discovered here we could all be in for a battle royale." He said in irritation. Duo waved his concern away. "I haven't been spotted and we both can hear a goat take a shit ten miles away. Well, when we're not wrapped up in our women." He said not being able to resist a dig. Heero ignored that and dressed. He glared Duo down until he turned and the he gave Relena her clothes to dress as well.

"By the way Heero, you sure were looking good in your birthday suit." Duo said with a muffled laugh. Heero kicked him in the back. Duo stumbled, still laughing until they all sobered at once. "Why are you here?" Relena asked him. Duo shot Heero a look and sighed. "You didn't really think we were just gonna let you guys sit out here with no back up did you?" he said with a frown. Relena began pacing. "Yes, actually I did. I don't want to lose the precarious trust of the Chieftain Zabu. We only have ten days remaining before we will be able to share the space with them." She said. Duo shot her an incredulous look. "No matter the negotiation, Princess, they will not honor their word. These locals are not what you think they are. That's the only reason I came, to let you know that this whole arrangement is bullshit. The guy Zabu has had contact with Trieze." He reported.

Heero's mind went blank and he focused on Duo. "When?" he asked coldly. Relena put her had on his shoulder but he barely felt it. Duo gave him a sympathetic look. "It was two days in. We have been intercepting all radio transmissions from our Gundams and imagine our surprise when ole' Trieze contacted that Zabu dude. Trieze wants our Princess badly though he didn't say why. Zabu ain't no fool though, he wants our Princess himself and if he can get her to marry him before Trieze gets here, he can take good ole boys money and still keep the woman. No matter what Trieze has up his sleeve, he won't have enough resources to fight the locals on their own land." He said. Heero looked at Relena who had gone white. "Don't worry, I told you I won't let them have you." He said.

Relena turned on him with a fury he was unsure he provoked. "Me? And what about all of you? How could I live with myself if you all were killed in this stupid conflict? I want us to go home in the same condition we arrived and if I have to go back to earth to do it then I am happy to." She spat. Duo caught her arm as she made to walk away. "If you die what do you think will happen to us Princess? We will become tools of war once again and have to fight until we die anyway. You don't really understand why we risk our lives for you do you? We were not sought out for this mission, Relena. We all volunteered." He said softly.

Relena looked back and forth between them. "I don't understand. Why would you volunteer?" she asked. Duo looked at Heero who nodded and then he gave her a sheepish smile. "We all believe in you. You are the only hope we have of putting our Gundams away and finally becoming people. If you die we all lose hope in our humanity. All of us, including Trowa and Wufei, though they love to give you a hard time if they can. We are willing to risk our lives because without you as the Princess and President of Earth, we are all just weapons just like the Gundams we pilot."

Tears spilled down her cheeks and Duo gave her an awkward pat on the back. "Let us do what we need to." He said finally. Heero watched as Relena reluctantly nodded, then embraced Duo tightly before the other man could pull away. "You gave me your lives and I promise you that one day I will give you freedom." She whispered. Duo then hugged her back, his eyes shut tightly before putting her away from him. "We all have been scouting to find ways into the village without alerting the Chieftain to what we're up to. You guys just keep up the charade until one of us comes back to report any plans of infiltration." He said before slipping back into the brush and disappearing.

Relena wouldn't look at Heero just yet. "Was that true for you?" she asked in a whisper. Heero touched her cheek. "What he said is true for all of us. You are hope to the Gundam pilots. That has nothing to do and everything to do with why I love you. Relena Peacecraft, President of Earth is my symbol of hope but just Relena a woman who wants to live in peace is who I love." He said simply. She nodded and wiped her tears away. "What do we do now?" she asked. He was now talking to Relena Peacecraft. "Like Duo said, we lay low and wait for the chance to take this operation apart. I won't hand you over to another man be it Trieze or Zabu. I promise you that." He said gravely. Relena reached up on her tip toes and kissed him deeply; putting all of the years she spent loving him into it. "And I promise you when this is all said and done I will give you a home." She said.

Heero stared into her eyes with emotions he didn't recognize lumping in his throat. A home. He'd never had one of those that he could remember. Hope surged in his gut and the image of them together in a house and her body swollen with his child made his eyes burn. He touched his forehead to hers. "A home and a family." He whispered. Relena's gaze locked on his and her eyes widened. She took his hand and put it over her flat stomach. "Even now we could have started a family." She said. Heero let his touch linger on her flesh, imagining that stomach growing with his child. He pulled away. "We can't yet. It's too dangerous for you right now. And what about the…"

"The rape"

"I didn't mean…"

"I was not impregnated by him."

"You don't have to talk about it."

"No, but you need to hear that."

Heero cursed himself because she was right. If she got pregnant now, he would raise the child as his own but always wonder. Relena gave him an understanding smile and he cursed himself again. He never had and never would deserve her. He'd killed all his life for another man's cause and he'd done it without question. He should be willing to raise another man's child without question as long as that child came from Relena. But he couldn't. He couldn't fathom another man's child growing in her body and the relief that he wouldn't have to deal with that made him humble. He sat next to her, unable to speak.

"It's normal for a man not to want to raise another's child and it's also normal for a woman whose had a child as a product of rape to give that child up for adoption." She said looking down. Heero raised her chin and looked at her. "You don't have to talk about this. I mean it." He said. She shook her head and looked away. "I do." She said with a self deprecating chuckle. "I thought I was pregnant after it happened and I wanted to die. I was the President and an advocate for peace and love but I knew I could _not_ love that baby. I could not sleep, would not eat and could not talk to anyone because I was ashamed. Ashamed that someone in my position would give up her child because I couldn't get past how the child was conceived."

Lady Une found support groups for me but there is no way to be inconspicuous about it. Instead she went on my behalf and taped the sessions for me. I found that I was not alone and that it was normal. I found out that to keep the child might have meant I could _not_ keep the man I loved. It was a hard decision to make and the days awaiting the medical reports were endless but in the end I was lucky. I don't have to make that decision and I have the man I love. My heart breaks for those who were not as lucky as me and every day I work harder for peace to repent for how relieved I am that my first child will someday be yours if we make it out of here alive."

Heero didn't know what to say. There were no words to describe how he felt about her at that moment. He wanted the man who raped her to die slowly and in immense pain but the feeling seemed too harsh for the miracle that came from it. She wanted him. She wanted to be with him and bear his children. No one else could turn the monstrosity of his seed into something lovable and worth cherishing. Only the purity of Relena Peacecraft could wash away the demons he represented and love a child conceived of him. She took his hand and kissed the back of it. "You would make wonderful father." She said with a serene smile. He pulled her close and held her. She was crazy as hell for wanted him but he would get them through this and they would have that dream. He would bury anyone in the way.

They walked back to the village and Aryn hurried over to her with a wide smile. "Tonight we have a Kita! It is a tribal dance where the young unmarried ladies dance the dance of seduction to lure a husband to them. Come, you have been chosen to dance as well." She bubbled. Relena stared at her in horror before trying to blurt out an excuse. Aryn waved her concern away. "We know you will not be looking for a husband silly one. You just have to dance and we will show you how." She said tugging her over to a circle off prattling women. "The wives of the chieftain teach the young girls because it is this dance that caught his attention and gave us our positions. You will enjoy it, I promise. "He finished.

Heero stood in the distance occupied by watching the village guards and thankfully missed most of the practice. He hadn't thought he cared to see the gyrations of the indigenous but when Relena stepped out of the circle with a short white skirt made of an unknown skin and a simple bra like contraption on her chest, he was momentarily stunned. She was laughing and twirling in circles with the others as they celebrated having apparently gotten the dance down packed. He forced himself to focus as she followed the women off to make the next meal. This time she helped pick berries as the outfit was sacred and they wanted her to remain pure.

The rest of the day seemed to pass with him forcing himself to look away from her and do his job but that night he was mesmerized. They'd made a circle around the campfire and the drums were heavy in the air. The rhythmic beat was catchy enough and the women were excited. A harsh cry sounded and the women began to move. His eyes had not strayed from Relena once but when she began to move he couldn't if he wanted to. The light of the campfire played on her silky skin while she shook her hips in time with the rhythm. Her arms went over her head and her full breasts bounced as she moved around the campfire hopping on the balls of her feet and tips of her toes.

Her gaze locked on his for a moment and the look of rapture of her face reminded him of when her orgasm was upon her. His breathing sped up and he knew without a doubt that he was fully aroused. Her rump bounced with each undulation of her hips and her hair was a blanket of silk caressing her body like the hands of her lover. The women let out moans and cries of pleasure that mimicked what their husbands would hear but he recognized those that came from Relena and from the look she was giving him she knew he would. By the time the dance was done his were not the only eyes that could not stray from her. He collected himself as the women sat and awaited a response from the men.

The entire group of girls were chosen but two. One was a plump girl of no more than fourteen and the other was Relena. She looked to be comforting the other girl but her posture was relaxed and it was obvious she'd enjoyed the show. Then Chieftain Zabu chose that moment to speak up as to who he would next wed.

"I choose the earth queen."

To be continued.

Disclaimer: Come on, we both know I don't own it


End file.
